The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-07
THE VENICE OF TO-DAY.
a Picturesque Marine Procession
The Gondoliers
From the Nelo York Sltll

Venice Correspondence Baltimore Sun.
There are 1900 gondoliers in Venice, and
they are by far the most numerous and
influential organization of the working
classes. For six months of the year the
gondoliers have their harvest in the crowds
of tourists who visit Venice, and their
regular business suffices to maintain them
for the rest. Their boats are the hackney
coaches, the cabs and the omnibuses of
Venice, and each gondola has posted in a
conspicuous place the tariff of licensed
charges. Justice must be done these
gondoliers in acknowledging that they are
not less quick than a Baltimore or
a Washington hackman in taking ad-
vantage of the ignorance or indifference
of strangers, and will, with as little
conscience, stick it ON without mercy
whenever they get a chance. The gon-
doliers generally have fair voices, as have
most other people here. Italy is properly
styled the land of song. Of evenings it is
quite the custom for a gOndolier to fill his
boat with a party of male and female
friends. with violin or two in the party
course up and down in front of the
hotels, sing snatcheS of popular operatic or
other airs, and then pass around the hat
among the guests. The singing is fully
equal to the average chorus singing Of
opera companies, and somehow it seems to
sound better coming over the water
A PICTURESQUE MOONLIGHT PARADE.
Last night strangers who happened to be
in Venice We're fortunate in witnessing the
annual spectacle of a grand serenade and
illumination. An English naval squadron,
consisting of eight iron-clads and cruisers,
anchored off Venice on Tuesday. The Duke
and Duchess of Ednburg were on board
The Duchess came ashore and took quarters
at one of the hotels, but the Duke remained
on the flagship at night Several of the
vessels Of the fleet took part in the celebra
ton, which added much to its eclat Shortly
after nightfall the gondolaS began to rem
devious. There are q few private gondolas
still in Venice, but they are rather PLAIN,
and do not differ very much from the
public ones. The boatmen wear livery
to distinguish them. Most of the pub
lie gondoliers own their own boats
Between and 9 o'clock, amid the
booming of cannon, the glare of electric
lights and the bursting of rockets, the pro-
cession began its march. 1t was led by a
large boat, covered in profusion from stem
to stern with glass lanterns colored in all
hues. The light shining through them pro-
duced a most beautiful effect. On this boat
was brass and string band and a fine
chorus of bassos and tenors. Then there
were others with chorus of male and
female voices, the performers accompany
ing themselves with guitars, vioiins and
mandolins. The moon, which was almost
full, rose in soft brilhancy about 9 o'clock
The route of procession was down the grand
canal, or the main street, to the anchorage
of the inside vessels of the English feet and
return, about five miles in all. At least
thousand gondolas, with from
four to six occupants each, made up the
rest of the procession. On many of these at
intervals blue and red lights were burned
with slow, regular motion the dark Condo
las swept over the blue waters with an unin-
terrupted succession of music and song, the
burning of lights, the great white electric
light flashing at times its rays over the walls
OF the city and the waves of the Adriatic.
the moon meantime shining over all. The
gondoliers stand as they row on an elevation
above the seats of the passengers The mo
ton of handling the oar is swinging and
graceful, bringing at the same time the
muscles of the legs, the arms and the
chest into full play. Not by any
means the least picturesque picture OF
The occasion was the sight across the
broad expanse of of those thousands
of muscular, finely developed gondohers,
with their white Jackets and bare black hair,
moving their whole bodies in regular motion
and in perfect time to the FLASHING OF the
oars. As the fleet neared the British
man-ofwar the Duke and Duchess OF Edln-
burgh appeared on the deck of one of them
in full view, while the bands on board struck
up, first the national airs of Italy and then
of Great Britain. simultaneously the two
vessels We're wrapped in wreath of fire and
flame from bursting bombs and rockets, illu-
mining sky and water for miles around
Music from voice and instrument succeeded
Tor half hour, when the turn was made,
the English ships firing farewell salute, and
the procession went back as it came.